A KEW family whose pet cat was torn apart by a dog is concerned about future attacks on young children and small animals.

A KEW family whose pet cat was torn apart by a dog is concerned about future attacks on young children and small animals.

Great-grandmother Irene Pearson, of Handsworth Walk, told how her 11-year-old granddaughter watched in horror as a German pointer savaged the beloved cat in a Kew estate.

Irene, 60, said: “The children were out playing and saw this dog whiz past them towards our cat, Polly.

“She was dragged away from her own gate and crushed to death. She died very violently and painfully in front of my 15-year-old daughter Serena and 11-year-old granddaughter, Katrina Leigh.

“All the children were screaming and the parents came out to see what had happened. We are all heartbroken. I have lost a dear friend.”

The mother-of-four, who owns three other cats, said: “Polly, my tortoiseshell, was 17, a grand old lady in the cat world and a sweet old thing given to sleeping and purring a lot and eating frequently.

“My little cat, bleeding, broken and dying in this dog’s mouth is as dangerous as it gets. Dogs cannot differentiate between small domestic animals or more importantly small children. They scream and run in the same way as prey.”

She claims the attack is not the first of its kind in the estate: “A young female cat was ripped to pieces opposite my house two years ago.

“I live alongside the beck and wildlife was abundant here three years ago. There was a black cockerel strutting his stuff and a noisy pheasant running up and down, we had daily visits from three mallard ducks who came to feed at my front door. Not one sign of anything this year.”

The pensioner said: “I worked as a receptionist for a vet in Leeds and saw many maimed and dying smaller pets. It’s an accident waiting to happen. The owners believe they are family pets and are not dangerous. I’m very concerned this will happen to someone else.”

l Any incidents can be reported to Sefton Council Dog Wardens on 0845 140 0845.